


One Life's Worth

by Mysterie



Series: Surrounding Shadows [6]
Category: Inuyasha - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Loss, Love, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 20:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3623106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/Mysterie





	1. Chapter 1

It was a warm spring night. A gentle breeze ruffled Kikyo's hair as she sat under a tree. It was that which had caused the undead priestess to stir.  
  
 _So, this is the path you choose is it? What will he do when he finds out?_  Kikyo thought as she climbed to her feet and began a slow trek deeper into the forest.  
  
 _Even I could not think she deserved this._  She thought as the sun's rays began to creep across the land.  
  
  
Inuyasha sat by the well to wait, even though it was barely morning; as usual, he was waiting for Kagome to return.  
  
 _Why do I have such a bad feeling all of the sudden? She seemed herself when she left, but.... I can't remember her ever hugging Shippo good-bye before... The others are right... something is up._  The half demon shifted uneasily as the day began to wear on and Kagome didn't appear.  
  
 _I don't like this._  He thought and leapt down the well to go to her time and bring her back. When he emerged from the small shrine house he found that everything was quiet, but the scent of tears was thick in the air. Inuyasha began to worry and, without a second thought, he went to Kagome's window and tried to push it open as he usually did when he wanted to talk with her without going through her family first. To his surprise, the window didn't budge; it was locked.


	2. Chapter 2

Inuyasha went through the house, calling out for Kagome, but there was no response; no one was even home. A feeling of deep unease pulled at him when he reached the closed door of Kagome's room, though he knew no one was home now he figured he'd wait, as usual, in her room until she showed up. He could tell that there was something in the air, a scent he hadn't noticed before when he was last in her room.  
  
 _Incence?_  The faint traces of it still hung in the air in the hallway. Inuyasha tensed suddenly; something was very wrong. He opened the door of the room.  
  
"Kagome...." It was all he could managed to say when his eyes fell on a small alter on her desk that held her picture.  
  
 _She... can't be...._  He thought even as he moved towards the strine as if in a trance; not even noticing that Kagome's mother had come home and was watching him silently from the doorway as he fell to his knees before the shrine.  
  
"Why? Why wasn't I there to protect you?" He muttered aloud, when he was finally able to tear his gaze away from the shrine he noticed a piece of paper stuck under her desk. He reached for it and reluctantly read her last writen words:  
  
I can't take it anymore. The pressure of hunting Naraku, fighting demons, finishing school.... it's just too much. I know that I'll never be her, that he'll alwayas love her, but I can't help what I feel. I know he still goes off to search for her scent during the night when he thinks we're all asleep, but I know. He's always back before dawn. I've decided to end it; he made his choice and so, since we share the same soul, I will let her have it all. It's the only way I can "be with him." For life is not really worth living if you can't be with the one you truly love.  
  
 _Kagome...._  Inuyasha slowly stood, the paper falling from his hand, crumpled slightly from being held tightly. Without a word, he took the single jewel shard from where it sat on the shrine.  
  
"Damn it all.... forgive me... Kagome..." He barely choked out before he unlocked the window and fled from the room, going back down the well to his own time; never to return again to the modern era.  
  
The trip seemed to take forever, even though the glow of the well's power engulfed him, sending him back to the Feudal Era took mere seconds. He stood at the bottom of the well, not noticing that he'd clinched his fist with the jewel shard in it so hard that he'd drawn blood with his claws. What was he going to tell the others? What could he tell them? That Kagome had taken her own life because of him? That because she'd loved him so much she'd given up the last of her soul to Kikyo so that they could be together? No... He couldn't tell them that. Not yet... Probably not ever. He knew he had to tell them though... at least that she wouldn't ever be coming back. The pain in his chest tightened....   
  
 _So this really is it... she really won't ever becoming back..._  He thought, tears stung his eyes; he wiped them away roughly, but still they came. He couldn't face the others like this. Inuyasha leapt out of the well and away from the village where the others were waiting. He needed some time... Time to collect himself. At least that was what he told himself, but he knew it was just an excuse to avoid telling the others the news. He didn't want to see the sadness in the eyes of his comrades that he knew was in his own. He couldn't face them yet...


	3. Chapter 3

Several days later....  
  
Shippo stood near the well and sighed.  
  
"They sure are taking a while." The young fox demon said to Miroku who was standing nearby.  
  
"I'm sure Kagome just got delayed again and Inuyasha is having to wait on her. It wouldn't be the first time." Miroku said, but even as he did, his eyes wandered from the well towards the forest where, unknown to them, was the direction Inuyasha had taken off to.   
  
 _I have a bad feeling about this. Inuyasha and Kagome should have been back by now, even if Kagome had delayed Inuyasha, it shouldn't be taking this long._  
  
  
Sango sat before the graves of her family, she'd taken the three day trip to lay fresh flowers on their graves. Kirara stood at her side, a soft noise made Kirara turn and growl. Sango looked up, someone was there; she picked up the large boomerang that was her choice weapon as a demon slayer as she stood up.  
  
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Sango's anger faded into surprise when she saw who emerged from behind one of the huts that was barely standing.  
  
"Inuyasha, what are you doing here? I thought you went back to get Kagome."   
  
"I did." He said.   
  
"Where is she? Did something happen?" The look in his eyes made her uneasy.  
  
"Yeah." Inuyasha glanced away as he continued, it still hurt just to think about it. "Kagome's.. not coming back. I ... thought you should be the first to know... I ... found out only moments after I went to get her..."  
  
"What are you saying?" Fear crept into the demon slayer's voice, she knew she didn't want to hear what was coming next. She didn't want to know the answer, but she had to know.  
  
"Sango... Kagome's dead." Sango stared at her half demon comrade. She didn't want it to be true, that her young friend was gone, but when he looked up at her again and she saw the look in his eyes she knew it was the truth. The girl from the future was gone for good. She didn't know what to say to him, knowing that Kagome had meant the most to him out all of them.  
  
"Do the others know?" She asked after a long moment, her calm, steady voice surprising even her. She wanted to cry to, rage, to do... something. Anything to make everything right again, but knowing she couldn't; that no matter what she did, her friend was not coming back.   
  
"Not yet." Sango could tell that it took a lot for him to voice the words. He reached out one hand to her, she could tell something was in it; she held her hand out and he dropped the jewel shard in her open palm. Sango stared at the shard for a long time, it was caked with blood... his blood. When she looked up he was gone. She curled her fingers around the jewel shard.   
  
 _How much more of a price will we pay? How many more lives will be destroyed by the Sacred Jewel?_  Sango felt something nudge her leg, she looked down. It was Kirara.   
  
"Let's go Kirara." Sango said, her voice a bit shaky as she put away the jewel shard; she would keep it safe even though it wasn't safe itself, having been in Inuyasha's possession for so long it had become tainted with his grief; turning black. There was only one person now who could purify the shard... Kikyo. Had Inuyasha gone to find her? Sango pushed the thought away as she mounted the transformed Kirara.  
  
"Back to the village, back to the others." Sango said, Kirara took off with Sango on her back; the demon slayer burring her head in the demon cat's fur for comfort though her heart was still heavy. She knew what she had to do first. First she had to tell them.  
  
[you can thank gaia admins for makin' me segment my story 'cause of a glitch.]  
  
  
"Who's there?!" Miroku called out as Shippo cowered behind one of his legs, the sound of footsteps that Shippo had heard had alerted the monk in the dim light that someone was approaching.  
  
"Inuyasha! Don't do that!" Shippo said as Inuyasha emerged from the shadows. The demon fox moved to give the half demon a piece of his mind, but stopped half way when he realized that Inuyasha hadn't said anything. Usually the half demon would have retorted something in return. Something wasn't right.  
  
"Inuyasha... where's Kagome?" Miroku asked after a moment of silence. Inuyasha said nothing, his bangs and the shadows of the approaching night.  
  
"She's not coming back... is she?" The monk asked after another moment of silence.  
  
"No... she can't."   
  
"W-w-what do you mean she can't? What did you do?!" Shippo stammered, fear beginning to swell in his eyes. Inuyasha lowered his gaze, he couldn't bear to see the look in his eyes.  
  
"I didn't do anything.... I... wasn't there for her.... I'm sorry Shippo... she's... gone..." The fox demon quivered where he stood, he didn't want to believe what he was hearing from the half demon.  
  
"No... S-she can't be... you're lying... " Tears welled up in the fox kit's eyes and Miroku went over to the young demon, taking him into his arms as the tears fell and Shippo buried his head against the monk's robes, crying. Miroku watched his comrade over the fox demon's head, his eyes were filled with sadness, but he couldn't find any words of comfort; knowing how much pain the half demon was likely going through at this moment. Inuyasha turned to leave.  
  
"Inuyasha." Inuyasha paused in his steps, waiting to see what his friend would say though he wasn't sure he wanted to hear; he would not be comforted, not this time. Miroku hesitated, what could he say? It wasn't Inuyasha's fault, but he knew that the half demon would blame himself for a long time.   
  
"Does Sango know?" He asked his friend after a moment. He couldn't think of anything else just then. Inuyasha swallowed the lump in his throat, remembering the look in the demon slayer's eyes.  
  
"Yeah." With that said, he disappeared into the forest of his namesake. The calmness of the approaching of night and the beauty of the sunset seemed to mock his every step. How many times had she expressed hurt when he'd gone to see Kikyo? How many times had he turned a blind eye to her? Too many to count, one too many. Now she was gone forever. There was nothing he could do... he would never be able to speak to her again, to hear her voice, her laughter, to watch over her as she slept with Shippo curled up at her side. With each footstep he ran harder and faster, pushing himself as the pain pounded him; pushing him to go on, to never stop. His every thought hounding him.  
  
 _I was so stupid.... How could I have not known? No... I knew... I saw it in her eyes so many times... Kagome.... How can you ever forgive me? How did you ever?_  Inuyasha wondered as he sped through the forest without stopping though he was breathing heavily now and his muscles were beginning to strain. He couldn't stop, he had to escape the pain that was hounding him, the pain that wouldn't leave him alone, the pain that he didn't want to acknowledge, that he knew, deep down, he could have avoided feeling if only he hadn't been so careless, so stupid...   
  
 _If only..._


End file.
